Project Description

Grantee Profile: Phamaly Theatre Company

Phamaly Theatre Company, formerly known as the Physically Handicapped Amateur Musical Actors League, enables persons with disabilities to showcase their talents and abilities through live productions. The company produces professional scale plays and musicals year-round throughout the Denver Metro region, cast entirely of performers with disabilities.

Phamaly was founded in 1989 by musical theatre performers who graduated from The Boettcher School, a Denver public school for students with disabilities. The performers became frustrated at being excluded from the local theatre scene because of their disabilities.

Today, Phamaly is the only professional theatre company in the country exclusively featuring actors with disabilities across the spectrum (physical, cognitive, intellectual). Phamaly inspires performers and audiences to re-envision disability, challenging preconceived perceptions and reducing stigma.

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation provides general operating support to Phamaly Theatre Company. Programming includes main-stage plays and musicals, original monologues, touring performances to schools and community venues, professional development for performers with disabilities and audience accessibility, and enrichment programs.